Crash Course
by Chris Oakley
Summary: A drunk driving incident changes Daria and Quinn's perception of their Lawndale High classmates-and each other.(Afterword finally uploaded,thank God)
1. Impact

**DARIA:Crash Course**

_**DISCLAIMER:Daria,Quinn,and related characters are the intellectual property of Glenn Eichler,Susie Lewis Lynn,Viacom International,and MTV.All of the rest of this I created myself.This story was written strictly for the enjoyment of my readers;I'm not making a penny on it or trying to infringe on anyone's copyright with it.  
**_  
Chapter 1  
  
_The Lane house,Thursday afternoon,4:10 PM  
_  
"Ah,how stirring."Daria Morgendorffer cast a sardonic eye at Kevin Thompson's goofy grin as it greeted her from the front page of the _Lawndale Buzz_."An editorial written by the one person on this planet who could flunk a Rorshach test."

"Hey,it could be worse."said Jane Lane,busily at work on her latest painting."Ms.Li could have made him editor-in-chief."

"Shhh!Keep it down!"Daria whispered in mock horror."She might hear you!"

Jane responded with a raised eyebrow and an amused smirk."With all the time she spends on the phone?I doubt it."

"Good point."Daria nodded;however,before they could get much further analyzing Kevin's deficiencies as a writer,the phone in Jane's room started to ring.After about two rings Jane picked it up and said,"Lawndale County Insane Asylum.Head inmate speaking."A short pause."Just a sec."With that,she passed the phone to Daria."It's your sister."

Picking up the phone,Daria said,"Hello?"

"_Thank God you're still there.I am in major trouble,Daria._"

"Meaning....?"Daria prompted,knowing that what Quinn described as major trouble could(and sometimes did)turn out to be anything but.

"_I'm supposed to read one of those Chicken Soup books and write a report on it for Mr.O'Neill's class for Monday,so I took the bus down to the library to get a copy from there,only I couldn't because I didn't have my card with me,so I went home to look for it in my room,but I can't find it anywhere._"

Daria sighed,thinking:_Bad luck,thy name is Quinn Morgendorffer_."So you want me to get it,right?"she said.

"_Yeah,would you mind?_"

"I guess not."Daria told Quinn."I just hope I can get home before Mom does....she's threatening to inflict a new casserole recipe on us at dinner tonight and I need time to hide the recipe card."

"_I wouldn't worry too much about that,Daria._"Quinn giggled."_Her boss has got her working on one of those personal injury cases you hear about on the news,so she'll be in her office till,like,midnight or something.And anyway,she just says those things to impress Dad.We'll probably be having lasagna again._"

"Mom's certainly consistent,I'll give her that."Daria agreed."OK,I'll see you when I get home.Later."

"_Thanks,Daria.Bye._"

With that,Daria hung up and turned back to Jane."If you don't hear from me again within twelve hours,burn all the documents and blow up the ammunition dump,then grab the last plane out."

"Got it."Jane said,saluting her best friend."Hey,as long as you're getting that book for Quinn,could you find out if anybody returned _The Stand_ yet?I tried to order a copy from Paperbacks-B-Us but they're all out,and I really feel the need for a good scare at bedtime tonight."

"Yep,nothing like global apocalypse to put you in a relaxed frame of mind."Daria quipped as she put her book bag back on."See ya."

"I hope so."Jane replied as she went back to her painting.A short time later,she was starting to add another dab of blue to the background when she noticed that Daria had left her paper lying on Jane's bed."She might want this--though I have to admit I don't know why."Jane said to herself,picking up the paper and starting to run out to the driveway in hopes that she could catch Daria in time.  
  
Out by the front steps of their house,Jane's older brother Trent was sorting through the day's mail when he noticed his sister dashing after Daria's car."Yo,Janey,what's the big rush?"

"Daria forgot her paper and I'm trying to catch her so I can give it back."Jane yelled over her shoulder.

"Chill,Janey,I'm passing that way later anyhow."Trent said,bringing Jane to a stop."The band's playing a private party at a house down the street from Daria's--you can ride shotgun with me and I'll drop you off there so you can give the paper back to her."

"'Kay."Jane replied,starting to head back inside.As she was about to open the door,however,a blue-gray sports sedan bolted down one of the side streets like a runaway train--and by the way it was swerving,it was clear its driver had been heavily drinking.

And he was heading straight for Daria's car.

"Oh my God."Jane gasped in alarm.She and Trent watched helplessly as the sedan's front fender forcefully struck Daria's car,causing it to spin around in the middle of the street.Debris scattered in all directions as the driver of the other car sped off without so much as a backward glance.


	2. Jane's SOS

Chapter 2  
  
"Daria!"Jane shouted,seeing her friend slump against the seat as the car came to a dead stop by the side of the curb and the steering wheel's airbag inflated.There was a sizable dent in the driver's side front door,and from where she was standing Jane could see bits of broken glass strewn on the dashboard.

Instantly,she turned to her brother and instructed him,"Call 911 _now_.I'm going to stay with Daria until the EMTs get here."Trent nodded,then raced back into the house to get the cordless phone.Jane,meanwhile,bolted down the street to the wrecked car and found Daria clutching a broken arm.

"Damndamndamndamn..."Daria groaned through clenched teeth,grimacing in pain."I hurt like you wouldn't believe."

"Take it easy."Jane said,trying to sound reassuring even though she was actually scared out of her mind."The ambulance'll be here any minute.Trent's on the phone to the dispatcher right now...you just stay put and save your strength."

"Trust me,Jane,I'm not going anywhere."Daria replied,wincing from her injuries.  
  
_Lawndale Fire Station #3,4:12 PM  
_  
The crew of Rescue Company 7 was debating the merits of boxers vs. briefs when the firehouse alarm began buzzing.At the first buzz,the debate had already stopped dead in its tracks;by the third,most of the EMTs had already climbed into the ambulance and the rest were getting aboard,pulling the doors shut behind them.

"What have we got?"one of the EMTs shouted to the driver from the rear of the ambulance.

"TA with injuries,24 Gorman Street."the driver called back over his shoulder,raising his voice slightly to make himself heard above the wail of the sirens."911 just got the call...."  
  
_Lawndale Police squad car 38-L,on patrol at Main Street,4:22 PM_  
  
The officer at the wheel vigilantly watched the intersection in front of her,looking for any sign of a vehicle matching the stolen car description the dispatcher had given all units earlier that afternoon.She wanted badly to catch whoever had swiped it,partly out of a sense of duty and partly because headquarters was getting tired of its owner calling the station every fifteen minutes wanting to know if it had been recovered yet.

She was about to pick up the mike on her car radio to request further instructions when a blue-gray sedan whipped around the corner near Pizza King.Though it was going at incredibly high speeds,she could distinctly make out its license plate:277-EKX.Its driver,not seeming to notice or care that he was being watched by the cops,zipped past the squad car,trailing glass and metal fragments behind him.In the back seat two passengers,apparently both young men,were in the midst of a heated argument.

"Looks like we've got our car thieves."her partner said,turning on the sirens as the squad car took off in pursuit of the stolen sedan.

"And they've got a lot of explaining to do."she replied,pointing to what looked like part of another car's fender hanging from the rear-view mirror of the sedan.Noticing that the car was swerving dangerously back and forth across the road,she added,"If they don't get themselves or someone else killed first."


	3. Anxiety

Chapter 3  
  
What had started out as a fun afternoon of blowing off school and cruising the town was turning into a full-fledged nightmare for Jamie White and his sidekicks Joey and Jeffy.The reality that they'd caused a serious accident had finally started to penetrate their beer-fogged brains,and Jamie was now trying desperately to elude the police cruiser on his tail while Joey and Jeffy were screaming bloody murder at each other.

"Shut up,losers!"Jamie finally snapped as the officer driving the cruiser repeated a previous order for the sedan to pull over."I can't think with you two screaming in my ear!"

"What's to think about?"Joey shot back,trembling both with anger at Jamie for getting them all in this mess and fear for the consequences they would suffer if the police caught them."We gotta lose those cops and ditch the car!"

Jeffy wasn't saying much of anything;he just kept repeating "Oh,God..."He was overwhelmed with guilt about the crash and wishing that there were some way to erase it.He didn't want to have to face the other driver's family when they found out what had happened....

As if reading Jeffy's mind,Jamie said,"Once we get rid of this car,we have to think of a way to keep the cops from figuring out that we were the guys who hit that other car.And we _can't_ tell anybody about those beer cases I took from Dad's private stash."  
  
Unfortunately for Jamie,Joey,and Jeffy,their hopes of being able to cover up their role in the accident were about to be dashed.In the midst of their frantic debate,the officer driving the first squad car had called in a second one to intercept them.It had turned a corner about two blocks away and was now moving to block the intersection in front of them."38-Lima,this is 17-Zed."the officer driving the second squad car said over his radio."We have the juveniles in sight coming up on the corner of Main and Grandstaff."

"_Nice work,17.You just make sure they don't get past the lights,and we'll cut them off on this end._"

"Got it."The officer driving the second squad car braked to a stop,then motioned his partner to disembark as Jamie threw the sedan into reverse in a frantic but vain final effort to get away from the cops.  
  
_The Lane house,4:47 PM  
_  
It was killing Jane to just stand there talking to the cops while the EMTs and firefighters worked to pry Daria loose from her wrecked car.But Trent had told her:'Leave the rescue stuff to the pros,Janey.We don't want to get Daria hurt any worse than she already is.Besides,the sooner you tell the police what you saw,the sooner they can nail the jerk that hit her.'

"You said there were two other young men in the car along with the driver?"asked the police officer taking her statement.

"Yeah,and they all had these really dorky boy band haircuts."Jane said."I figure they must have been about sixteen or seventeen--younger guys wouldn't be able to drive,and older guys would know better than to walk around looking like refugees from N'Sync."

Turning first to Trent,then back to Jane,the cop inquired,"Did either of you happen to catch the number on his license plate?"

"The first three numbers were 277."Jane told him."The rest of it was either EKX or ERX,I'm not sure which."She and Trent watched with concern as the EMTs gingerly placed Daria on a stretcherboard,then carried it into the waiting ambulance."Anything else you need to know?"

Turning a page on his notepad,the cop said,"Yeah,there is...did you happen to notice if the young man in the other car was swerving or otherwise driving erratically?"

"He was swerving all over the place."Jane nodded."He must have been weaving back and forth a hundred times before he hit Daria...I wouldn't be surprised if he was drunk or stoned."

"Me either."the cop sighed,thinking to himself that he might be getting too old for this job."Is there a number where we can get hold of you for further questioning if we need to?"

Jane took a pen from her pocket and began writing."OK,here's my home number,this is the number for the principal's office at Lawndale High,and that's the number for the Zen."Watching the EMTs shut the ambulance's back doors,she wished she could ride up to the hospital with her friend._Daria must be feeling scared as hell right now,_she thought.


	4. Quinn Gets The News

Chapter 4  
  
_Lawndale General Hospital,emergency desk,4:58 PM_  
  
"Rescue 7 just radioed us about a TA on Gorman Street."the nurse at the desk told the attending physician."One victim,female,approximate age seventeen or eighteen,multiple injuries.They're on their way here right now,ETA six minutes."

"Is the portable X-ray set up?"the physician asked her.

Picking up her chart to sign a medication order,the nurse replied,"It's in Exam One right now."

"Good."the attending physician said.With that,he turned and briskly walked to the main doors to wait for the ambulance's arrival.  
  
_The offices of Vitale,Davis,Horowitz,Riordan,Schrecter,& Schrecter,5:03 PM  
_  
Helen Morgendorffer flew out of her office with cell phone in hand."Marianne,cancel all my appointments."she commanded briskly as she passed her assistant's desk."If Jake calls,tell him I'll meet him at his office.If the hospital calls,have them page me on my cell phone.Anyone else,either take a message or tell them it'll have to wait until Monday.I've got a family emergency to deal with."

Eric Schrechter,head of the firm,noticed what was happening and asked,"What's wrong?"

"It's Daria."Helen sighed,dialing Quinn's pager number."Her friend Jane left a message at my desk saying she's been in an accident."She tapped her foot impatiently waiting for the office elevator's doors to open.

"Anything I can do to help?"Eric asked.

Helen shook her head."Not right now.I'll let you know if there is."  
  
_The Morgendorffer house,5:08 PM_  
  
"Like,what's taking Daria so long?"Quinn complained,pacing back and forth in her room."I could have **written** that dumb book in the time I've spent waiting for her to get home...."She rolled her eyes as she glanced out her window at the still-empty driveway.

Just then her personal pager started beeping.Glancing at the display,she saw her mother's cell phone number."Uh oh."Quinn said,eyebrows raised.Suspecting something might have happened to her sister,she quickly picked up her own phone and started dialing. Helen answered on the first ring."_Quinn,are you at home?_"

"Yeah,Mom."Quinn said,grabbing her purse and jacket."What's going on?Is Daria okay?"

"_I'm afraid she's in the hospital,honey.She was coming home from her friend Jane's house and another car ran into her and just took off.They've taken her to Lawndale General._"

"I'm on my way."Quinn said,reaching for her address book to look up Sandi's home number."Just give me a minute to call Sandi and get a ride and I'll meet you guys in the waiting room as soon as I get there..."

"_You can call Sandi,_"Helen said,"_but don't go anywhere.I'm picking your father up and then we're coming home to get you.Just wait for us out on the front steps.We'll be home in about ten minutes._"

"OK,Mom."Quinn nodded.As soon as her mother had hung up,Quinn raced downstairs,picked up the cordless phone from the kitchen,dialed Sandi's number,and sat down on the front steps of the house to wait for her parents.A minute later,she heard Sandi's mother Linda on the other end of the phone:"_Griffin residence._"


	5. Keep Your Fingers Crossed

Chapter 5  
  
_The Griffin house,5:11 PM  
_  
"_Hi,Mrs.Griffin,this is Quinn Morgendorffer.I need to talk to Sandi,like,right now.It's kind of important._"

"Hold on....SANDI!STOP CHASING YOUR BROTHER AND GET DOWN HERE!IT'S QUINN!"

Flashing her brother Sam a glare that could have melted the snow off Mount Everest,Sandi left her bedroom and made her way to the downstairs phone.Behind her,her fellow Fashion Club members Stacy Rowe and Tiffany Blum-Deckler were trying to duck a salvo of spitballs from Sam and his brother Chris."Little jerks."Tiffany snapped.

"Takes one to know one."Chris shot back.

"Christopher,Samuel,get back in your rooms and stop bothering your sister's friends."their mother ordered as Sandi picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"_Listen,Sandi,I can't make it to the mall tonight._"Quinn said."_I have to go to the hospital with my mom and dad..._"

Sandi's eyes widened."Whoa!What happened?Did you come down with something?"

"_I'm OK,Sandi._"Quinn assured her."_It's my sister...she was at her friend Jane's house and I asked her to get a book from the library for me on her way home,only she got hit by another car and they had to call an ambulance..._"

"OK,tell me what hospital she's at."Sandi had already started shifting back into her take-charge mode."We'll meet you there later."

"_It's Lawndale General...you know,the place where Stacy had her tonsils out?Anyway,they should be admitting Daria soon.Soon as Mom and Dad have talked to the doctors,I'll let you know how she's doing._"

"Got it."Sandi nodded;after a short pause,she said,"Listen,Quinn...."

"_Yeah,Sandi?_"

"Tell your parents I hope Daria pulls through."

"Me too."Stacy piped up from behind Sandi.

Tiffany,picking a stray spitball out of her hair,said,"Hey,Quinn,I just had an idea....whenever my dad got really sick as a kid,his parents used to light a candle for him down at church.If you want,one of us could light one at the hospital chapel for Daria..."

"_Thanks,guys.We could use all the support we can get right now._"

Sandi was about to say her goodbyes to Quinn and hang up when she noticed Linda pointing at the phone's cradle,indicating she wanted to talk to Quinn herself."Hold on,"she said,"my mother's about to pick up on the extension..."  
  
_The Morgendorffer house_  
  
"_Quinn,_"Linda said,"_I don't want to hold you up too long....I just wanted to tell you that if you or your sister need anything,don't hesitate to call me._"

"Sure thing,Mrs.Griffin."Quinn answered,genuinely touched--and a bit surprised--by Linda's sympathetic tone.Spotting Helen's SUV coming up the street,she said,"My mom's here...I'll call you guys later from the hospital,okay?"

"_Okay._"With that,Linda exchanged goodbyes with Quinn and hung up;Quinn then put the cordless phone back in the kitchen and briskly strode out to the driveway to meet her parents.  
  
_The Lane house,5:14 PM  
_  
"_Hospital?_"Jodie Landon's stunned voice echoed softly in Jane's ear.

"Afraid so."Jane said;out of the corner of her eye,she could see Trent at the family computer,downloading a map with directions from their house to Lawndale General."She was starting to drive up to the Public Library on her way home when this blue-gray sports car came out of nowhere and T-boned her dad's Lexus."

"_Was he in it?_"

"No--which was lucky for him,because the sports car was going at close to seventy-five when it nailed Daria.The last I saw of her,the EMTs were carrying her out of the car and putting her on a stretcher."

"_Where's Quinn?Does she know about this?_"

"Probably."Jane replied."While I was waiting for the cops to show up,I called Helen's office and left her a message about the accident...she must be on her way home to pick up Quinn by now.Soon as Trent gets off the computer,he's giving me a ride to Lawndale General..."

"_Want me to meet you there?_"Jodie asked.

Glancing at her watch,Jane said,"Yeah,I think you'd better.This thing's got me pretty shook up--God knows what her parents and Quinn must be going through right about now.You know how to reach the hospital?"

"_I was a volunteer there last summer.I practically have the directions memorized._"

"OK."Jane nodded."I'll see you in the waiting room."She hung up and followed her brother out to his car,hoping the engine wouldn't quit before they reached the hospital.As Trent backed the car out of the driveway and steered it towards Lawndale General,Jane,looking out the passenger side front window,winced at the sight of the debris still scattered around the accident scene.


	6. At the Hospital

Chapter 6  
  
_Lawndale General Hospital parking lot,5:33 PM  
_  
"I just don't get it,Jake."Helen sighed,accompanying Jake and Quinn to the hospital's main doors."What kind of person hits someone else's car and just takes off without seeing if they're all right?"

"I'd tell you,"Jake scowled in rage,"but the only words I can think of which describe someone like that are words I don't want to repeat in front of Quinn.Whoever did this to Daria should pray that the cops get their hands on him before I do."

Quinn saw Jane and Trent sitting in the waiting room and hesitated;she didn't know if she should approach them--they might be angry with her for all she knew.After all,Daria had gotten hit after leaving their house to do her a favor.On the other hand,she felt like she needed some company while her parents talked to the doctors about her sister's condition.

Finally,she turned to Helen and said,"Mom,Jane and Trent are in the waiting room.Is it okay if I sit with them while you guys see the doctor?"

"Good idea,Quinn."Helen replied.

"Speaking of doctors,"Jake added,"we should contact Dr.Philips at Cedars as soon as possible."He then followed Helen to the emergency desk while Quinn cautiously approached Jane and Trent,who were thumbing through the usual way-out-of-date waiting room magazines.  
  
Jane was skimming through a four-month-old copy of _Time_ when she saw Quinn at the waiting room doors;putting her magazine aside,she got up and walked over to embrace her friend's sister."How're you holding up,Quinn?"she asked gently.

"Not so good,Jane."Quinn admitted."I'm really scared...I've had this big lump in my stomach ever since Mom called me.I mean,I'm trying hard to be brave for Mom and Dad's sake,but the truth is I can't stop worrying about Daria."Watching her parents follow the attending physician to Trauma Room One,she said,"Even when Dad had his heart attack I wasn't this scared."

"Well,don't start planning your sister's funeral just yet."Jane replied,trying to reassure herself as much as Quinn."If she's survived Ms.Li's paranoia,DeMartino's ranting,Upchuck's cheap come-ons,and the toxic waste Lawndale High's cafeteria dares to call food,she can survive anything."

Getting a candy bar from one of the hospital's vending machines,Trent added,"Janey's right.Daria's one of the strongest people I know--one of the smartest too.She would've put her seat belt on and stuff as soon as she got in her car.Plus,I was reading in the paper the other day where this hospital's been rated as having the best emergency unit in the state--even better than Cedars.She'll probably be back on her feet in no time."

"I hope so,Trent."Quinn nodded."We might not always get along all that great,but..."She hesitated slightly."...but I would miss her a lot if she died."  
  
_Lawndale Police Headquarters,Holding Cell 2_  
  
"You idiot!"Joey snarled at Jeffy as they sat on a metal bunk near the cell door."If it wasn't for you we wouldn't be in this mess!"Being booked had been the most humiliating experience of his life,and he resented Jeffy for putting him through it.

"Me?!!You're the one who gave Jamie the idea to swipe those six-packs from his dad's stash!"Jeffy shot back defensively."I just wanted to ditch school for a couple of hours!Now thanks to you,we'll be lucky if we don't wind up spending the rest of our lives in jail!"

"Both of you just shut up!"Jamie yelled.He'd had more than he could take of their arguing;as if having a major hangover wasn't bad enough,he also had to listen to his two best friends fighting with each other again over whose fault this was.The only way things could get any worse was if whoever had been driving the other car died....

"Hey,keep it down."groaned the man in the next cell."I got a headache."

_Man,I'd be happy if a headache was my biggest problem right now,_Jamie thought,turning back to Jeffy and Joey,who glared at each other in sullen silence."Yeah,get a grip,you guys."he ordered."We need to think of an alibi and **fast**."


	7. Out of the Woods

Chapter 7  
  
_Lawndale General Hospital,corridor outside Trauma Room One,5:43 PM_  
  
"So how is she,Doctor?"Jake asked the attending physician as he emerged from Trauma One with Daria's chart in hand.

Looking over Daria's chart,the attending physician said,"Well,your daughter's condition is certainly quite serious.She's sustained a broken arm,a mild concussion,two broken fingers on her left hand,a bruised shoulder,and several minor lacerations on her right hand.She'll definitely need to be kept here overnight for observation,and will probably also need physical therapy once she's discharged.Fortunately,however,her case doesn't require any major surgery..."

For the first time in hours,Helen began to relax a bit."Thank goodness.I've been on pins and needles ever since the accident...between fighting rush hour traffic and trying not to let Quinn see how absolutely terrified I am,I've barely been able to breathe."

"When can we see Daria?"Jake inquired.

"They're preparing a bed for her right now."the attending physician told him."It should be ready in about an hour."

Jake's expression brightened."Great."He turned to Helen and said,"Let's go tell Quinn the good news."

"I'll go,honey."Helen said."You probably still have some questions for the doctor about Daria's post-op treatment."

"Okay."With that,Jake sat down with the attending physician to discuss options for Daria's physical therapy;Helen,meanwhile,started walking back to the waiting room to tell Quinn about the doctor's diagnosis.  
  
_Waiting room,5:49 PM_  
  
Helen returned to find Quinn leaning against one of the waiting room vending machines,her eyes moist with tears as Jane tried unsuccessfully to comfort her."Oh dear."Helen gasped."Looks like I wasn't the only one trying to put up a brave front."

"Yeah."Trent nodded."Right after you guys left to talk to the doctor,Quinn started crying her eyes out and just took off.I couldn't understand everything she said,but basically she thinks she's the one who put Daria in the hospital..."

"But that's not true!"Helen protested.

"I know,"Trent said,"and Janey and I both tried to explain that to her,but she won't believe us.Maybe you'll have better luck getting through to her,since you're her mom and stuff."

"I hope so."Quickening her pace,Helen strode over to where Quinn and Jane were standing.  
  
Blowing her nose with a tissue from her pocketbook,Quinn glanced at her mother and sighed,"If you came here to read me the riot act,go ahead."She gazed down at the waiting room floor."It's not like I don't have it coming.After all,if it wasn't for me Daria wouldn't be in this mess."

"Now,Quinn,"Helen started to say,"I didn't come here to berate you..."

"Why not?"Quinn moaned."This whole thing happened because I was too stupid to keep track of my library card or think of some other way to get that book.I should have just gone to the mall to buy a copy...then Daria wouldn't have gotten hurt and wound up in the hospital."She pulled out a fresh tissue and wiped her eyes with it."Honest,Mom,I didn't mean for anything bad to happen to her.I just needed that book to do my report for Mr.O'Neill's class,and since Daria likes the library a lot I figured she wouldn't mind going there for me...I'm really sorry."

Helen grabbed Quinn and held her in a very tight embrace."Shhhhh."she murmured soothingly."I know you feel upset about what happened to your sister--we all do--but trust me,it's not your fault.If anyone should feel guilty,it's the selfish pig who rammed her car and deserted her when she was hurt."

"How bad was she hurt,Mom?"Quinn asked,both needing and yet being afraid to hear the answer."I didn't get a chance to find out before."

"Well,she has a broken arm,and she got banged up pretty badly in the crash,"Helen said,"so they're keeping her here overnight to make sure she's okay.Fortunately,thank God,the doctor says she won't need any major surgery,so she should be able to come home soon."

Quinn felt a weight start to lift off her shoulders."See,what'd I tell you?"Jane grinned,giving her a light pat on the back."Daria's tougher than the entrance exam at Harvard."Then,in a more serious tone,she added,"Your mom's right.You shouldn't punish yourself for somebody else's sins--just be glad your sister's alive and pray that the guy who put her in here gets what's coming to him."  
  
_Hospital parking lot,5:54 PM_  
  
Jodie arrived at Lawndale General with boyfriend Michael "Mack" McKenzie in tow.For the hundredth time since hearing about the accident,she tried unsuccessfully to make the knot in her stomach untie itself.Daria was one of the few people she could vent to about the pressure her parents were putting on her to follow in their ambitious footsteps;if anything happened to her now,Jodie was sure she'd go out of her mind.And it hadn't helped matters any that she and Mack had been stuck in traffic for ten minutes on the way to the hospital....

Mack,trying to relieve her anxiety,turned to her as they walked through the hospital's main doors and said,"I'm sure she's not hurt that bad.You'd be surprised at the things people walk away from.One time my uncle was driving through Kansas City and his car got hit by a pickup truck,and he came out of it without a scratch--and this was way before cars had airbags.With any luck,Daria'll probably be back in school tomorrow morning."

"I hope you're right."Jodie sighed."Jane told me that the car that hit Daria was going seventy-five miles an hour when the crash happened.At that speed,you're lucky if you don't die or kill somebody...."

Quinn spotted them as they came into the waiting room and walked over to meet them."Thanks for coming down."she said to Jodie. "It's the least I can do for her."Jodie answered modestly."So...how is she?"

"She got banged up pretty good when the other car hit her,"Quinn explained,"and her arm's broken,but other than that she's going to be okay.Just to be safe,the doctor's keeping her here overnight so he can check up on her."

Jodie breathed a distinct sigh of relief."How soon can we see her?"Mack asked Quinn.

"They still have to finish getting her room ready,and the doctor probably wants to do more tests on her and stuff,so it's going to be a while before she can have any visitors."Quinn replied.After a short pause,she added:"If the hospital says it's okay,would you guys like to come with me and Jane when we go up to see her?"

"That would be great."Mack said.

"I'll say."Jodie agreed."You can't imagine how much I need to talk to Daria...."

"Actually,Jodie,I can."Quinn told her.


	8. Looking At The World Through New Eyes

Chapter 8  
  
Having gotten used to being an outsider,Daria was surprised--and,she had to admit,pleased--to find a steady stream of people coming to see her during her stay at Lawndale General.The rest of that night and most of the following day,she had visitors almost every hour,and even those who couldn't come in person made time to call her with their best wishes.She received so many flowers,cards,and gifts that at one point they took up more than half her room.

To everyone's relief,the doctor's examinations turned up no further symptoms in Daria except for a headache stemming from her concussion;her parents' attention could now focus on helping her cope with the cast she would wear while her arm mended and finding her a suitable physical therapist once the cast came off.After scheduling her for a followup visit in three weeks,the doctor signed her discharge papers and prescribed Tylenol doses every four hours to treat the headache.

As for Joey,Jeffy,and Jamie,they were conspicuously absent from Lawndale High the day after the crash--and that was just as well as far as most of their classmates were concerned.Though their names had been withheld by police from the local paper,word of their involvement in the crash had still reached the school grapevine courtesy of a freshman who lived right across the street from Jamie and had heard him getting royally chewed out by his father when they finally came home from the police station.

Thus both Daria and the Three J's would find themselves in for some eye- opening experiences when they returned to school Monday morning...

_Lawndale High,the Monday after the crash_

As they walked through Lawndale High's main doors for the first time since the crash,Joey,Jeffy,and Jamie had the uncomfortable feeling that they were venturing into hostile territory--a suspicion quickly confirmed when Jamie overheard Brittany Taylor tell Kevin,"I can't believe those creeps have the nerve to show their faces here after what they did to Daria!I hope the judge puts them in jail forever!"

"You said it,babe."Kevin nodded."That could have been you or Mack Daddy they hit--or even me.I could kick myself for nominating that loser Jamie to take over as team captain next year..."

Jamie glared at Joey and muttered,"I thought you said the paper didn't print our names."

"It didn't!"Joey whispered defensively."I checked!"

"Well then,how does Brittany know--" Jamie's question was cut short by the THWACK! of an algebra textbook bouncing off the back of his head."Ow!"he moaned,clutching the spot where the book had hit him.He turned to get a look at his attacker but only saw the heel of someone's shoe.

"School is gonna suck."Jeffy complained."Everybody hates us now."

And sure enough,as they continued walking to their homeroom,most of their classmates either coldly ignored them or shot venomous glares at them.They also heard some kids calling them things like "alkie","jailbird",and "loser" behind their backs.One kid even flipped them the finger,for which he got two weeks' detention from Ms.Li.

It was only a desire to avoid getting detention themselves that kept the rest of the class from beating Joey,Jeffy,and Jamie to a pulp the minute they walked in.Mr.DeMartino,not the most amiable man in the first place,gave the trio a look one would normally reserve for cockroaches scuttling across the floor."So nice of you gentlemen to **_JOIN_** us today."he said sarcastically.

As they took their seats in the back of the classroom,a feeling of depression settled over them.In just four short days they'd gone from being three of the most popular guys at Lawndale High to three of the most despised.Jamie almost wished he was back at the police station;anything would be better,he mused bitterly,than having to live with the fact that he and his friends were now basically outcasts.  
  
Daria's own return to school was a much different story.As she walked to her homeroom,with Quinn and Jane beside her to help carry her books,it seemed she could hardly go two feet without one of her classmates coming up to her to offer their assistance or wish her well on her first day back at Lawndale High.It was nice,but at the same time a little embarrassing;broken arm or not,she'd been hoping to slip back into her regular class schedule as quietly as possible.

"Sure I can't talk you guys into letting me the walk the rest of the way by myself?"Daria asked Jane.

"Nothing doing,_amiga_."Jane answered."You're stuck with us.Doctor's orders-- and more importantly,your mother's."

Glancing at her watch,Quinn said,"That reminds me,Daria--Mom told me to make sure you remember to take your Tylenol at lunch this afternoon.Oh,and don't forget to call Dr.Pollard's office to confirm your follow-up appointment."

Daria cast a wry glance at her sister."Yes,Miss Ratched."

"Allow me,ladies."Chuck Ruttheimer III,a.k.a. Upchuck,stepped forward and opened the homeroom door for them. Daria's eyebrows arched in surprise;his usual sleazy leer was noticeably missing.For a moment she didn't know how to respond.Finally,however,she looked at him and said,"Thanks,Chuck."

"Think nothing of it."Upchuck replied."I'm only too glad to lend a helping hand during your recuperation."

"Just as long as that hand doesn't try to pinch our butts."Jane told him.

Upchuck emphatically shook his head."The furthest thing from my mind,I assure you.I've always prided myself on being a perfect gentleman."


	9. The Three J's Frozen Out

Chapter 9  
  
Daria eyed the overly cutesy welcome-back present Brittany had put on her desk as warily as if it were a ticking bomb.In fact,as far as she was concerned a bomb would have been preferable;even Kevin,dunce though he was,had known better than to give her anything so unbelievably tacky.A bright pink stuffed bear with a happy face balloon tied around one paw,it looked like something Barney might have thrown together on a sugar high._Correction,_Daria thought as she read the attached gift card dangling from the other paw._Barney_ _wouldn't be caught dead in public with something this lame_.

"What do you think?"Brittany asked her.

"It's....very colorful,Brittany."Daria said._In a hideous,Sesame Street-on-acid kind of way._

Brittany's face lit up in her trademark ultra-perky grin."Glad you like it.I thought you could use something to cheer you up after being cooped up in the hospital for so long."

"You're not going to turn my classroom into a toy store,are you,Daria?"Ms.DeFoe joked as she prepared to take attendance.

"I hadn't planned on it,no."Daria replied.And even if she had been,she reflected,she certainly wouldn't inflict this monstrosity on her customers.At least the other gifts had been somewhat tasteful--she had especially appreciated the framed copy of Maya Angelou's "I Rise" she got from Jodie.  
  
Jane stared at the bear/balloon combo in utter disbelief."If they don't already do drug tests on the cheerleading squad,they should."she observed."Brittany must have been high as a kite when she bought that thing."

"Tell me about it."Quinn said,grimacing."I mean,could she possibly have picked a more gross shade of pink?"

"Hey,"Jodie cut in,"just be glad she didn't go with her original choice."

Jane looked at her and asked,"Which was...?"

"Aqua with bright orange polka dots."Jodie answered with a wince.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW!!!"Jane and Quinn groaned simultaneously.  
  
"You shouldn't be here."Kevin said bluntly when he saw Joey,Jeffy,and Jamie lingering in the doorway of the Lawndale Lions team locker room after PE."Coach Gibson put you on suspension,remember?"

Nervously twisting his pencil in his hands,Jeffy said,"Well,like,that's what we came to talk to you about.We want you to get the coach to lift the suspension and put us back on the team for Saturday's game."

"You can't be serious."Kevin rolled his eyes in disbelief."You're lucky you're not still in jail after what happened last Thursday..."

"But you've got to help us,man!"Jamie pleaded."You're,like,the only friend we've got left in the whole school!Nobody else'll even talk to us anymore!"

Joey let out a melancholy sigh."Yeah,man,everybody on the bus totally snubbed us this morning.After second period,when I tried to ask Quinn if she wanted a drink from the soda machine,she walked right past me like I wasn't even there."

"That's your problem,not mine."Kevin turned his back on them and started walking towards the weight room.After a few steps,he paused and turned back to face them again."You know,guys,I might not be a brain or anything,but even I'm smart enough to know that you shouldn't drive drunk."

With that,he entered the weight room and closed the door,leaving Joey,Jeffy,and Jamie to wonder how much worse things could get.Kevin had been their best friend since at least the third grade,and even he was giving them the cold shoulder.It was like they'd died and been condemned to their own personal hell.

"Now what do we do?"Joey asked his pals.Neither one of them could think of an answer.  
  
"So,did you hear about that awesome sale on minidresses they're having at Cashman's?"Sandi asked Quinn over lunch in the school cafeteria later that afternoon.

"Yeah,Tiffany told me about it this morning."Quinn said."I'm going there tonight after Mom takes me to the Sports Hut.She wants me to help pick out some weights...."

"Your mom's into weightlifting?"

Quinn giggled."They're not for her,Sandi,they're for Daria.See,once the cast comes off Daria's arm,the doctor wants to put her on this special therapy program,and part of the program is having her do these strengthening exercises with five-poun--"She suddenly cut herself off in mid-sentence."Oh no.Quick,Sandi,duck!"

"What's the matter?"Sandi asked,flattening herself against the table.

"It's Joey,Jeffy,and Jamie!"Quinn replied in an urgent whisper."They're sitting over by the fire exit!I've been trying to avoid them all day,but they won't leave me alone!"

"Maybe,if you just,like,ignore them,they'll go away."Sandi said hopefully.


	10. Severed Ties

Chapter 10  
  
But they didn't.Instead,they bolted from their chairs and made a beeline for Quinn's table the minute they spotted her;groveling had always helped them get back in her good graces before,and they were hoping that it would work this time too.Disregarding Sandi's menacing stare,Joey walked up to where Quinn was sitting and said,"I'm glad we found you.We've been trying to talk to you all day."

Quinn's only response was to turn her back on the trio,hoping that they'd finally get the message and stay out of her life for good."I know you must be,like,super mad at us about the crash,"Jeffy babbled in a desperate tone,"but I swear we didn't know it was your sister who was in the other car when we hit it.We're really sorry about what we did,just don't hate us anymore..."

Still no answer."Oh,come on,"Jamie pleaded,"it's not like we meant to put her in the hospital--"

"Do you guys,like,have a death wish or something?"Sandi snapped."You're lucky Quinn doesn't kill you after what you did.Go crawl back under whatever rock you oozed out from before we call the cops."

"It's okay,Sandi."Quinn assured her."I can handle this myself."She stood up and looked at the Three J's with a stern expression on her face."I thought you guys would have gotten the point by now,but since you can't seem to take a hint,let me spell it out for you:I never want to see any of you again."

Jamie looked and felt like he'd been shot through the heart."But,Quinn,we were just..."

"Save your excuses for somebody who cares,Jamie."If Quinn's tone had been any colder,the Three J's and Sandi alike would have all gotten frostbite."I'll never forgive you for bailing on Daria when she needed help."She glared at Joey and Jeffy."Or either of you for letting Jamie drive his dad's car even though you knew he was wasted.The only thing any of you are really sorry about is that you got caught,or else you'd be trying to apologize to her right now and not me."

"Isn't there anything we can do to change your mind?"Joey begged.

"Nothing."Quinn said with finality.Just then Stacy and Tiffany returned from the girls' restroom;in unison,the four Fashion Clubbers snatched up their purses,trays,and notebooks and left the table.Forced to at last admit that they'd lost Quinn forever,Joey,Jeffy,and Jamie all felt an overwhelming heartache...  
  
....which for Joey quickly turned to anger."Thanks a lot!"he shouted,shoving Jamie."You've ruined everything for us!"

"Hey,back off,jerk!"Jamie snarled,shoving back."I'm in major trouble with my folks because of you..."

"You're the one who hit Daria's car!"Jeffy accused him,rushing to Joey's defense."You're the one who got us busted by the cops!You're the one who blew it for us with Quinn!"

Pointing an accusing finger at Joey,Jamie retorted,"But it was still his idea to get the beer from my dad's stash..."

Jeffy cut him off."You didn't have to take him up on it!You know,if Daria had been killed or ended up in a wheelchair,we could have all been locked up until we're as old as DeMartino!Kevin was right--we _are_ lucky we're not still in jail right now."

"All those in favor of permanently ditching this loser,"Joey said to Jeffy,"raise your hands."Their right hands sprang up simultaneously,then lowered again."Opposed?"Neither of them budged an inch."In that case,we're gone."

Jamie watched in disbelief as Joey and Jeffy started to walk away."Hey,c'mon,you guys..." "Shut up,Jamie."Jeffy snapped brusquely.He and Joey then disappeared into the crowd,anxious to get away from their former friend as quickly as possible. Trudging back to his table,Jamie wondered what else could go wrong for him.He'd lost the girl of his dreams,his three best friends had all turned their backs on him and everybody else in school was freezing him out,his chance of getting an athletic scholarship was probably gone,and once he got home his parents would practically have him under house arrest until his scheduled arraignment the next day."How much more can my life suck?"he complained. He didn't have to wait long to find out--Ms.Li,who was passing through the cafeteria on her way to the faculty lounge,paused in her stride just long enough to look at Jamie and tell him,"I want to see you in my office after lunch,Mr.White."By her tone,he knew it couldn't be for anything good...  
  
"You all right,Quinn?"Daria asked her sister as they walked to Daria's next class.

"Uh huh."Quinn nodded."Why?"

Sidestepping an errant janitor's bucket,Daria said,"I just wanted to be sure you weren't having any second thoughts about your decision."

"Trust me,Daria,there's no way I'm changing my mind about those losers."Quinn replied;by now,every picture she'd had in her pocketbook of Joey,Jeffy,and Jamie had long since been torn up and thrown in the trash."I just want to forget I ever knew them.You should have seen the way they tried to suck up to me in the cafeteria like nothing happened....it was so pathetic.They acted like what they did to you was no big deal."

"Somehow,"Daria sighed,"I'm not surprised.Disappointed,maybe,but not surprised."

"You said it."Quinn rolled her eyes."They're lucky I didn't scratch their eyes out.I hope the judge throws the book at them in court tomorrow..."

Turning the corner,they noticed a handmade poster on the wall which read:**LAWNDALE HIGH S.A.D.D. MEETING 3:15 ON WEDNESDAY,ROOM 243**.Beside the poster,a junior in a white T-shirt and blue jeans was handing out fliers to students as they passed by.He spotted Daria and Quinn and waved to them from down the hall."Wow,perfect timing."he said with a grin."I was hoping I'd run into you two today."

"Actually,you're only seeing incredibly lifelike holographic simulations."Daria quipped.

The young man chuckled."Good one.Seriously,I'm Scott Anderson,president of the Lawndale High chapter of Students Against Drunk Drivers.I read about your accident in the _Sun-Herald_,and I thought you and your sister might be interested in becoming members."

"We don't have to perform any ritual sacrifices,do we?"Daria asked him.

"Nope."Scott replied,handing her and Quinn two sheets of paper."If you want to join,all you need to do is come to Room 243 tomorrow with a signed copy of the Contract for Life and turn it in either to me or to our faculty advisor,Ms.Kazrova...So,do either of you have any friends who might be interested in joining S.A.D.D.?"


	11. Healing The Wounds

Chapter 11  
  
_The Morgendorffer house,two months after the crash_  
  
The kitchen table was covered in paper,pens,and magic markers as Daria,Jane,and Quinn put the finishing touches on their respective contributions to the upcoming S.A.D.D. Week at Lawndale High.Jane,with a helping hand from her mother,had transformed part of Daria's cast into an abstract sculpture representing the physical damage that drunk driving could cause;Quinn,inspired by a public service ad she'd seen in the latest issue of Waif,had drawn a poster captioned 'Drunk Driving Is Never In Fashion';and Daria,using her writing as she often did to help her deal with adversity,had prepared an essay recounting her thoughts and feelings during and after the crash.

"I don't mean to be nosy or anything,Daria,"Quinn said,"but you were awfully quiet at dinner last night...well,quieter than usual,anyway."

"I was thinking of Joey,Jeffy,and Jamie."Daria replied,prompting surprised looks from both Quinn and Jane."Not to rationalize what they did,but it seems to me that it isn't fair to make them suffer for the rest of their lives because of something they did in a moment of panic or stupidity.Sure,they needed to be held accountable for their actions,but if they've learned their lesson who are we to say that they don't deserve a second chance?"

Jane put down the orange marker she'd been using and asked,"Are you serious?"

"I talked with Ms.Kazrova about it after last week's meeting.I told her I was still carrying around some residual anger from finding out that it was Jamie and his friends who put me in the hospital,and she said that I basically had two choices:either I could cling to it and let it keep building until one day I exploded like a hydrogen bomb,or I could let it go and try to find some empathy for the turmoil Jamie and his friends have been going through since the crash."She paused briefly to look at Jane's sculpture."Frankly,I like option two better--it's a lot less stressful."

Quinn wasn't sure how to respond,but she had to admit Daria had a point.A few nights earlier,she'd been re-reading some of her old diary entries from the first four weeks after the crash,and she'd been frightened by the bitterness and hostility expressed in those entries.The person who harbored such feelings wasn't her real self--or at least she didn't want it to be.  
  
_Lawndale High School,main entrance_  
  
Only Stan Winston could have put together a mock accident scene more realistic than the one Daria and her classmates had set up on the quad to start S.A.D.D. Week at Lawndale High.Jake's ruined Lexus and the sports car that had once belonged to Jamie's father were positioned in a T configuration to simulate a side-impact collision like the one that had originially landed Daria in the hospital;Brittany,playing a distraught,bleeding survivor,was quite convincing as she knelt beside the Lexus wailing over Kevin's "corpse"--a little _**too**_ convincing,some felt,wincing from her typically high-pitch squeals.

Elsewhere on the quad,posters and information booths had been set up in keeping with the themes of S.A.D.D. Week.Mack was holding court near the flagpole,explaining the school athletic department's "zero tolerance" policy on alcohol and drug use;Jodie and Andrea stood by the front door passing out information sheets to their fellow students outlining how they could help combat alcohol abuse in and out of school;Upchuck proudly showed off a portrait of himself in a Hugh Hefner-style smoking jacket captioned "Real Gentlemen Don't Drink And Drive";Quinn's Fashion Club comrades,in their own inimitable style,were warning kids about the horrors of being in jail for DUI;and even Artie,the school's resident UFO buff,had put aside his flying saucer fixation long enough to produce a simple but highly effective chart outlining the toll excesive drinking could take on the human body.

"Don't look now,_amiga_,but I'd say you've become quite a motivator."Jane said as Daria helped her put her sculpture on a display table set up by Ms.DeFoe.

"Yeah,that's me all right,"Daria deadpanned,"a regular Anthony Robbins."She paused to survey the buzz of activity on the quad,then added:"All kidding aside,Jane,I have to admit I'm impressed with how well Quinn's taken to her work as part of Students Against Drunk Drivers.I saw her at Rosa Parks Middle School two weeks ago talking to some of the kids there about safe driving...with a little nudge in the right direction,she could make a good teacher or guidance counselor someday."

Jane watched Ms.Barch chase a hapless male student across the quad."She'd certainly be an improvement on some of the other teachers we've got..."

"Am I too late for the chalk outlines and yellow tape?"Jane and Daria both turned to see Tom Sloane,a VISITOR badge pinned to his blazer,walking up to the display table.

"Nope,"Jane replied with a grin,"Brittany's still got at least five or ten minutes' screaming time left before that happens." Adjusting her glasses,Daria asked him,"What brings you here?"

"The Fielding Academy chapter's having their S.A.D.D. Week right before midterms,"Tom explained,"so they sent me here to watch your group in action and take notes on the ways it uses to get S.A.D.D.'s message across....basically I'm here to swipe all your best ideas."

Daria raised an amused eyebrow at Upchuck's poster."In some cases,Tom,that would only be petty theft."  
  
_Main auditorium_  
  
It was with some trepidation that Joey,Jeffy,and Jamie took their seats for the school's special S.A.D.D. assembly that afternoon.Although the general mood toward them was much more sympathetic than it had been right after the crash,Quinn's "I never want to see any of you again" still rang in their ears;for all they knew she might tear them apart the minute she laid eyes on them... Quinn's attention,however,was focused on her sister,who stood next to Ms.Kazrova at the rear of the stage.After a short announcement from Ms.Li about upcoming events for the rest of S.A.D.D. Week,Daria was introduced and Quinn rose to join her classmates in a round of applause as Daria walked to the podium.

Looking out at her teachers and classmates,Daria cleared her throat and began reading:"Two months ago,I endured incredible physical and emotional pain when I was hit by a drunk driver in a side-on impact collision..."

Kevin,who as usual was ten steps behind the rest of the world,let out an amazed gasp."Wow!I didn't know Daria was into Clint Eastwood movies!Wonder if she'd like to borrow Dad's copy of _Dirty Harry_."

Brittany rolled her eyes at him."Not 'Sudden Impact',Kevin,_side-on_ impact.Honestly,you can just be so out of it sometimes."

Jodie and Mack,sitting three rows behind Kevin and Brittany,turned to each other with looks of wry amusement."This,"Jodie said,"from someone who thinks that a breathalyzer is what Dr.McCoy uses to administer CPR on _Star Trek_.Talk about the blind leading the blind."

"No kidding."Mack agreed,and turned his attention back to Daria.  
  
_Hallway outside the school cafeteria,later that afternoon  
_  
Joey sighed as he dropped his empty paper cup in one of the recycler bins.He just wanted to get this day over with as quickly as possible;the last thing he needed were yet more reminders of what had happened two months ago.Even with the counseling he'd been undergoing as part of his court-ordered probation,he still struggled with feelings of depression,and those feelings had gotten particularly acute when he saw the wreckage of Jamie's father's car on the quad.He almost wished he'd get sick just so he could go home early and not have to slog through the last two periods....

Just then he saw Daria turning the corner at the other end of the hall;in a moment of panic he spun around and started to duck back inside the cafeteria.But as he was reaching for the doorknob,he found himself thinking about what his counselor had said at their appointment the day before:"_Sooner or later,you need to face her and make amends.No matter who was driving the car that day,only you can make the choice to accept responsibility for your part in what happened._" Taking several deep breaths to gather his courage,he let go of the doorknob and started to approach her.  
  
"Got a minute?"

Daria paused in mid-stride when she saw Joey walking up the hallway;by the look on his face,it wasn't hard to guess what he wanted to see her about.At least twice during the assembly,and a dozen times before it,she'd noticed him following her at a discreet distance,as if he needed to tell her something but was having trouble mustering the courage to get the words out.She wasn't sure if this was just another moment of groveling or if he felt genuinely regretful about his role in the crash,but she did know there was only one way to find out for sure....

Nodding in the direction of an empty study hall,Daria said,"Okay."  
  
It took a great deal of self-control on Joey's part,but when they sat down at a table near the blackboard at the front of the room,he looked her squarely in the face.She might tell him to go straight to hell when he was finished,but he couldn't afford to turn back now. "Daria,"he said,"I don't know if this really means anything to you after what happened,but I wanted to tell you that--well,that you were right.I should have stopped Jamie before he got in his dad's car.Heck,I should have stopped him before he got that beer out of his dad's liquor cabinet.If I wasn't such a wuss,you wouldn't have gotten hurt and Jamie wouldn't have gotten in so much trouble...I am so sorry for what I did,and even sorrier for what I didn't do."His throat caught twice,but somehow he managed to ask her:"Can you ever forgive me?"

"Yes,but I'm not doing it for your sake."Daria replied,causing Joey to blink in confusion.As he tried to figure out what she meant,she explained:"I've let the crash take up too much of my time since it happened...I can't afford to spend the rest of my life being angry at you and Jamie.It's not fair to my family,my friends,or me."

She slowly started to get up from her chair."Whether or not you and Jeffy want to have anything more to do with Jamie after today is your own business. But whoever you choose as your friends, it's time you stopped playing 'follow the leader' and got back in the habit of thinking for yourself."_God help me, I'm starting to sound like an Afterschool Special,_she thought. "I hate to get preachy here, but you can't just blindly go along with every cockamamie idea that pops into your best buddy's head, because if you do, one of these days you might find yourself getting into a jam you can't get out of."

"Can't argue with that." Joey admitted as Daria turned and began walking out of the study hall. She had almost reached the door when something made her abruptly stop in her tracks and turn around. She reached into her pocket and handed Joey a small plastic card. "I got this from one of the candy-stripers right before my discharge from Lawndale General. She said she thought it might help me, but under the circumstances you probably need it more than I do."

As she quietly shut the study hall door, Joey read the card and recognized the text on it—it was St. Francis' famous prayer of serenity. He'd heard one of the inmates in the holding cells at Lawndale Police Headquarters reciting it while his parents were posting his bail. The prayer's second line seemed particularly appropriate to his situation: **Grant me the courage to change the things I can**...

_Joey's house,early evening_

He dialed the phone number from the Yellow Pages as if his life depended on it...which, in a sense, it did. After three rings a voice on the other end of the line said: "_Lawndale County Substance Abuse Treatment Hotline. Can I have your name, please?_"

"Uh, hi, my name's Joey Patrick, and I think I might have an alcohol problem..."  
  
THE END


	12. Afterword & Acknowledgements

Afterword & Acknowledgements

I devoted over two and a half years to this story; it's my first foray into **_Daria_** fanfic, and while I might not be on the same level as, say, Ruthless Bunny or Jon Kilner, I hope with your help and feedback, I can continue to improve the caliber of my work as time goes on.

And speaking of Ruthless Bunny, she's the first person I'd like to say "thank you" to. She gave me a lot of useful advice on how to handle certain scenes(and conversely, how _not_ to handle them).A tip of the hat also to Galen Hardesty—a.k.a. Lawndale Stalker—who helped me catch and correct a major error concerning 911 procedure.While we're at it,thanks to my dad,who bought the computer on which I started "Crash Course",and to the Woburn Public Library,whose word processor enabled me to finish it when said computer abruptly broke down.Further thanks to Eileen Kelly,my best friend/significant other/writing partner,for her support the whole time I was working on this fanfic;to Martin Pollard,webmaster over at Outpost Daria,for providing the inspiration for me to try my hand at **_Daria_** fanfic;to Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis Lynn,of course,for creating the **_Daria _**series...

....and last and most important,to all of you who've read "Crash Course" for your time and interest and your(mostly) positive reviews.I'm looking forward to having you read my next **_Daria_** fanfic(whenever I get around to posting it).


End file.
